Meaning & use
Tending
Last updated
Looking after or taking care of someone or something; or having an inclination toward a particular condition or behavior.
See it in a sentence
She spent the morning tending the garden before the heat set in.
Sales figures have been tending upward for the past three quarters.
A note on using this word
Functions as the present participle of 'tend,' which has two distinct senses: to care for, and to have a tendency toward something.
Words with a similar meaning
caring forattending to
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
neglecting
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Having a tendency or inclination to move or develop in a particular direction.
The economy has been tending toward slower growth this year.
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